Species Details

ABH: 72.084

BF: 2462

Family: Erebidae

Subfamily: Erebinae

Taxon: Callistege mi

Authority: (Clerck, 1759)

Vernacular: Mother Shipton

Account: Common in open grassland, heathland, moorland, woodland rides and roadside verges throughout much of England, Wales and southern Scotland Day-flying. Named after old Mother Shipton, a 16th-century Yorkshire witch. Larva feeds on White Clover, Red Clover, Hare's-foot Clover, Black Medick, Lucerne and Common Bird's-foot Trefoil, over-wintering as a pupa.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 30 — 34 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 23 Apr (2002) — 11 Jul (1987)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Gramineae, Phragmites australis (Common Reed).

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 5 — Adults unidentifiable 😖 or pending grading 🧐
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/callistege-mi/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 277

Individuals: 116

Earliest Year: 1893

Latest Year: 2025

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